Victoria Wellness Professionals

I really do get asked this all the time:

“When is the BEST time to workout?”

Well, in reality, the best time truly is whenever you are actually going to do it. Look, some people love to get their training in first thing in the morning. Some love to go during their lunch hour. And, of course, many people just wait until after work.

Hey, with some many people completely out of shape and unhealthy I’m happy whatever time you go and workout, so long as you actually go! But many people are confused as to what and when they are supposed to eat based on when they get their workout in.

And they are also baffled as to when they should take their supplements. You’re in luck if you’re one of the confused! My partners over at Prograde Nutrition have created this really simple chart that shows you examples of what you can eat and when, and it’s all based on what time of day you workout.

Plus, it also shows good times to fit in your supplements for optimal results. Even better is that they made a version for men and a version for women.

Check out the female version here: http://victoriawellness.getprograde.com/how-to-use-prograde-products-female.html

OR

Check out the male version here: http://victoriawellness.getprograde.com/how-to-use-prograde-products-male.html

Till next time,
Narina

PS – And don’t forget, Prograde has their BRAND NEW Branched Chain Amino Acids at 17% off this week ONLY. Stock up on those now at:

http://victoriawellness.getprograde.com/branched-chain-amino-acids.html

Uncategorized amino acids, exercise, gym workouts, nutrition, Prograde Nutrition, supplements

I was reading a blog post the other day from a marketing/business expert and it raised a good topic for todays blog post. The blog post was entitled, “Stop Whining and Get on With Life”. The article dealt with making decisions about what you want out of life and being responsible and accountable for your choices.

This got me thinking about being responsible and accountable for our health and wellness.

Comments come up on a daily basis at the gym about weight loss, working out and what works, what doesn’t work etc. It seems I am answering the same questions over and over as I am sure everyone that works in this industry does.

Does it frustrate me? Never and I really don’t mind answering these same questions because at least the questions are being asked and that is, at least a step in the right direction. However, asking and doing are two different things.

Losing weight, gaining strength, getting lean all take work and hard work! If you think you are going to get the body you want, or the strength gains without hard work, then maybe working out at a gym filled with fixed stationary equipment, or plodding hopelessly on a stair climber or elliptical is more to your liking.

If, on the other hand you really, really want to make changes to your body or hit those strength goals, then buckle down and work hard. As the saying goes, “Nothing good in life comes easy”, and a lean, strong body is no exception. Stop making excuses and make exercise and good nutrition a priority. No one is preventing you from getting the body you want, except you.

If you don’t have time after work for a workout, then get up early before work and get it done. Rather than sit on the computer at your lunch hour surfing the internet, get off your butt and go for a walk or get into the gym for a lunch hour workout. No one says your workout has to be an hour – you can make some serious inroads to a lean body with a 20 minute kick butt workout!

But once again, it boils down to how bad you want it. Everything in life comes at a price – the question is, “Are you willing to pay the price?” You absolutely must make health and wellness a priority. If you don’t then you will always find an excuse. You will always have a reason for not having the body you want. It will always be someone else’s fault. There will always be a reason that you can’t achieve what you want.

Once you have decided and made that commitment to yourself that you have had enough feeling and looking lousy, then the hard work begins and you will be ready and willing to do whatever it takes. No one or no thing will stand in your way. There will be no holding you back!

The healthy, strong body is waiting for you. Each one of us is capable of attaining it. What’s holding you back? What are waiting for? Don’t put off what you can start right now. There is absolutely no reason why you can’t start right now. If there is, I would love to hear it!

Get up, get going and get committed to making a difference – to you and for you!

Till next time,
Narina

Uncategorized exercise, motivation, weight loss

A comment or concern that comes up often during workout sessions is the feeling that is experienced in the muscle during the performance of an a exercise. Just what should you “feel” or is there anything to this “muscle pump” feeling that is often expressed. Also, just what is “going for the burn?”

To describe what someone might be feeling is almost impossible as each persons’ perception is very different.

I have often written in past newsletters or blog posts about the presence of pain during an exercise session. There is no place for pain in the gym. Never do you work through pain. Peoples’ perception of pain is also very individual, but either there is pain or there isn’t. That part doesn’t really differ from person to person. For that reason, if pain is present stop what you are doing and seek help.

But let’s talk about the “feeling” associated with weight lifting. Just what is happening to the muscle when you are weight training?

The muscle pump or “burn” is a physiological response by the muscles during resistance training.

The muscle pump is caused by an influx of blood into the muscles. This increased blood flow is to remove toxins and replace supplies of fuel and oxygen.

The burning sensation is the result of metabolic waste products that are produced by muscles in response to intense weight training.

The muscle pump or burn has little to do with increased hypertrophy or increased muscle size. Increased muscle growth comes only from heavy training which produces less or very little muscle pump. You may get an intense muscle pump or burn from doing very high repetitions with a lower weight, but you would not get increased growth or strength.

Going for the burn does not necessarily mean you have had a successful workout. A successful workout is based on progression. Lifting more weight, performing more reps is a good indicator of a good workout.

It is good to “feel” during a weight training workout and perfectly normal. You may not feel a burn, but you may feel that the muscle is “swollen” or that your skin feels very tight. These are perfectly normal feelings and are not necessarily to be avoided.

Avoid pain, embrace the “burn”. Work out hard, go for the intensity and you will reap the rewards of a stronger and leaner body.

Till next time,
Narina

“Monitoring, Mentoring, Motivation”

Uncategorized exercise, gym workouts, muscle pump, muscles, strength training, Victoria Wellness Professionals, weight lifting

Arthritis or degenerative joint disease is so common I am sure we all know someone or of someone who suffers from arthritis. There are over 100 different forms of arthritis. The most common form is osteoarthritis. But other forms of arthritis include: Anklosing spondylitis, gout, juvenile arthritis, Paget’s disease, Psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid disease.

Today’s article is about osteoarthritis, and more specifically osteoarthritis of the knee. We are going to cover basic knee anatomy, pathophysiology of osteoarthritis and what forms of exercise with specific reference to strength training will benefit someone suffering from osteoarthritis.

Basic Knee Anatomy:

The knee is a joint which has three parts. The thigh bone (femur) meets the large shin bone (tibia) forming the main knee joint. This joint has an inner (medial) and an outer (lateral) compartment. The kneecap (patella) joins the femur to form a third joint, called the patellofemoral joint.

The knee is an example of “diathrotic” joint, and is classed as a hinge joint. These are moveable joints that contain synovial fluid and are enclosed by joint capsules. The joint capsule consists of ligaments strapping the inside and outside of the joint (collateral ligaments) as well as crossing within the joint (anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments). These ligaments provide stability and strength to the knee joint.

The bones do not actually come in contact with one another. Articular cartilage caps the articular surface of each bone. Synovial fluid circuilates through the joint during movement. Both of these help to minimize friction as well as cushion the articulating bones. Ligaments help to bind the joint and tough, fibrous menisci are located within the joint and act as cushions as well as to guide the articulating bone.

The knee joint is surrounded by fluid-filled sacs called bursae, which serve as gliding surfaces that reduce friction of the tendons.

Pathophysiology of Osteoarthritis:

Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that is caused by the breakdown and eventual loss of the cartilage of one or more joints. Cartilage is a protein substance that serves as a “cushion” between the bones of the joints

Primary osteoarthritis is mostly related to aging. Eventually, cartilage begins to degenerate by flaking or forming tiny crevasses. In advanced cases, there is a total loss of cartilage cushion between the bones of the joints. Loss of the cartilage cushion causes friction between the bones, leading to pain and limitation of joint mobility. Inflammation of the cartilage can also stimulate new bone outgrowths (spurs, also referred to as osteophytes) to form around the joints.

The breakdown of cartilage causes the bones to rub against each other, causing stiffness, pain and loss of movement in the joint.

Some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee are:

• pain when moving the knee

• grating or catching when moving the knee

• pain when walking up and down stairs or getting up from a chair

• pain that prevents exercise

• weakened leg muscles (quadriceps)

There are various treatment modalities for osteoarthritis from physical therapy to medication therapies. But, for the purpose of this article, we are going to discuss exercise, it’s necessity and specifically strength training and suggested exercise protocols.

Goal of an Exercise Program:

The goal of any exercise program is to develop mobility, stability and strength in all muscles and joints. With arthritis the goal is to:

• reduce stress to the affected joint/joints
• increase muscle strength to deload the joints affected

• decrease presence of pain
• maintain joint mobility

• maintain a quality of life

With osteoarthritis of the knee, you want to avoid any exercise/movement that causes stress to the joint. High impact movements such as jogging, running, plyometric exercises need to be avoided. All exercises need to be within a pain free range of motion. Stationary bike or swimming or great for conditioning purposes.

So, just what should a person with osteoarthritis of the knee do? Ultimately pain will be the guide. You must work within a pain free zone at all times. Range of motion for any squats or split squats need to be limited to what can be performed without pain. For some, these two exercises may be contraindicated entirely.

The beginning of any workout should begin with soft tissue work. Foam rolling for the quadriceps, adductors and glutes needs to be done daily.

Mobility exercises must be included for ankles, hips and thoracic spine.

Exercise Selection:

Exercises for the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, extensors) should be the mainstay of any strength program. Romanian deadlifts, single leg romanian deadlifts and kettlebell swings are safe to include.

Limited range of motion squats, split squats and wall sits should be included to increase quadricep strength which in turn will help to support and deload the knee.

Core stability and strength should also be included using planks, side planks, bridges, superman (or birddogs) as well as Pallof Press are excellent examples of great core building exercises.

It is possible and necessary to keep the muscles strong that support the knee. However, choose the exercise carefully or enlist the services of a fitness professional to help design a safe program that will protect the knee while providing stability and strength.

Till next time,
Narina

Source: Concepts of Human Anatomy and Physiology, Van DeGraaff & Fox,

Uncategorized exercise, goals, joint disease, muscles, osteoarthritis, posterior chain, Victoria Wellness, weight training, workout

Often when someone is first considering starting an fitness program, the hardest thing is trying to figure out what to do. A well balanced fitness program needs to have 3 major components: strength training, conditioning (aerobic component) and mobility/flexbility. Whether your goal is to play a better game of golf, lose weight, increase your endurance – all three of these components need to be included if you are to reach your goal. Let’s take a look at each individual component:

Strength Training - lift some weights – no way around it. Weights build strong muscles = leaner body = easy to maintain a healthy weight and ensures strong bones:

References: Dr.Len Kravits, PHD., Associate Professor Exercise Science, The University of Mexico

Uncategorized aerobics, cardiovascular conditioning, exercise, gym workouts, strength training, Victoria Wellness Professionals, weightlifting

Pain by definition:

Pain is the unpleasant feeling common to such experiences as stubbing a toe, burning a finger, putting iodine on a cut and bumping the “funny bone”. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage”

Pain can be very subjective and a persons’ pain threshold can vary greatly from person to person. What may be perceived as painful to one person may not solicitas much of a sensation to another.

We can all attest to pain in everyday situations such as described above. But, what is sometimes difficult to undertstand is the feeling or tolerance of pain during a workout situation.

Those of you that train at VWP are accustomed to the coaching staff inquiring how you are feeling, presence of pain etc. But what is sometimes confusing is just what is pain, is some pain okay or should anything be said at all?

The phrase “No pain, No gain” has no play in our facility. There is really only one answer to the presence of pain – yes or no.

During the course of performing an exercise, you may feel a burning or even a feeling of fullness in the area being worked. For example, walking lunges down and back the turf are sure to elicit some burning in the quadriceps (or thighs); a timed set of push ups may have your chest and arms burning as well. Sometimes the feeling of fullness may be a feeling of “tightness” to some people. Normally though, once the set of lunges or push ups is completed that feeling of burning or tightiness will disappear after a few seconds. This is completely normal and tells us we have generated a response within the muscles.

What we don’t want is any feeling of pain, especially close to a joint. This is not normal. There is no such thing as just a little pain. There is either pain or there is not – there is no middle ground.

When we talk about pain during the performance of an exercise, we are referring to sharp pain felt at any point during the course of performing that repetition.

The feeling of pain at any time is not normal and the exercise should be halted immediately. Sometimes it is as easy as re checking form or technique in order to continue pain free.

It is essential that all pain, no matter how minor it seems, be reported to your training staff.

At Victoria Wellness our motto is “Want Gain, Then No Pain” If you want to improve your health, train harder, run faster, enjoy all aspects of fun in life then learn to recognize pain, report presence of pain and train pain free.

Till next time,
Narina
“Monitoring, Mentoring, Motivation”

Uncategorized exercise, goals, lunges, pain, push ups, strength training, Victoria Wellness Professionals, weightlifting, workouts

When we start out on a journey, whether it be a vacation road trip or a journey of selp improvement, we need to have a game plan. We need to have a map, a plan of how to get to our destination and how long it is going to take us to get there. We also must take the opportunity to ask directions (yes, even the men must ask now and
then).

An important aspect of any fitness program is setting goals. Without a clear goal in mind, it is difficult to commit to a program. This worksheet is designed to assist you in setting goals and defining obstacles that may impede progress toward your goal. In order to write a goal, you must have a clear indication of what a goal consists of.

Goal setting needs to be specific. It need to be measurable – in other words you need to have a benchmark that can be followed. How are you going to measure your progress (pounds lost, inches, body fat, etc). Goals also need to be realistic and attainable. You also need to attach a reward for each goal. Your goal setting worksheet could have several goals that you are working towards and you may have several small goals on route to one goal. For example, if your goal is to lose 20 pounds, break that goal down into smaller pieces – how much will you strive to lose each week (1 1/2 – 2 lbs per week is safe). If you reach your weekly goal, how are you going to reward youself? Make start a money jar – if you reach your goal that week – put some money in the jar (amount is up to you). At the end of your journey you will have a nice little reward that you can then use to spoil youself (a new dress, some new shoes, a spa treatment). A finally you need to set a specific date for each goal.

To help you get started, download the Goal Setting Worksheet GOAL SETTING WORKSHEET.

One of the tools I have used in the past with clients, is a Personal Contract. This can be done after you have worked through your Goal Setting. Pick a few issues that you know you will need to work on. Put these down in a contract with yourself. Your contract can be anything you need it to be. The contract here is just an example of one I set up with a client a few years ago. The items were specific to what she wanted to focus on. Yours can be whatever you need it to be.

The goal of the Contract is to be specific, have a time line and then sign and date it. If need be, you can have someone else hold a copy of this Contract as well. To help you put your own Contract together, download a sample Contract Personal Contracts.

Goal setting and personal contracts, two tools to help you on your road to success. Your own personal road map. Download your copies and get started today. That summer shorts weather is not very far away.

Till next time,
Narina
“Monitoring, Mentoring, Motivation”

Uncategorized exercise, goal setting, personal contracts, success, weight loss

I know a lot of people don’t consider golf a sport at all and I am sure there was a time when I really didn’t think of it as a sport either; but more a game. But knowing what I know now about exercise physiology, anatomy and the science of human movement, I realize that golf very much is a sport with a skill set that must be developed in order to compete and remain injury free. It is no secret that Tiger Woods takes his game preparation very seriously. Not only does he spend hundreds of hours practicing every facet of the game itself, but he also strength trains in order to develop proper movement patterns, correct muscle sequencing during movements,
increase core strength and remain injury free. It is fairly obvious looking at him that he is “in shape”. You just need to look at his biceps under his golf shirt to know that this golfer takes his conditioning very seriously. In fact, I have heard that he bench presses over 400 pounds. Not to shabby for a golfer, eh?

I think the professionals golfers have realized that it just isn’t more time on the driving range or putting green that will improve their game, but time spent in the gym improving their bodies will have a direct impact on the performance of their sport as well.

One of the most practiced and most frustrating aspects of golf is the swing itself. To perfect your golf swing, several components must be in place. One of the important aspects of your golf swing is thoracic mobility or the ability of your upper back to rotate freely and separately from your hips. To help improve your range of motion through your upper back while maintaining your hip stability I recorded a video on the Diagonal Plate Raise. Include this in your workout/gym sessions and you will see an improvement in your ability to swing more freely.

Keeping with the golf theme, there are two excellent web sites that are a gold mine of information. Bookmark and visit often to:

Anthony Renna “Better Golf With Fitness” http://www.bettergolfwithfitness.com
/better_golf_with_fitness/

The second site you will want to visit is The Titleist Performance Institute at: http://www.mytpi.com/

Enjoy watching the Masters this weekend and good luck with your own game!

Till next time,
Narina

Uncategorized exercise, golf, golf swing, Masters Golf Tournament, strength training, Titleist

The art of burning calories – even at your desk!

The Sit-to-Walkstation is the fully integrated combination of the Series 7 Height-AdjusTable Worksurface with a specially designed commercial grade treadmill. The Sit-to-Walkstation is based on the proprietary NEAT™ (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) research of Dr. James Levine of the renowned Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. The study focused on how calories are expended through all the activities of daily living and it represents the most data-rich investigation of obesity ever undertaken over a 10 year period.

You can read more about NON-EXERCISE ACTIVITY THERMOGENESIS

So no more sitting around staring at a computer screen. You can now walk at a leisurely pace of 1-2 mph and get some work done at the same time. For another article on the walkstation in the work place check out:

Treadmill Desk Heats Up Office Jobs

Imagine going to work and getting paid to lose weight, get leaner and feel better! I just might have to scope one out for my own office!

Till next time,
Narina
“Monitoring, Mentoring, Motivation”

Uncategorized burn fat, exercise, fat loss, Victoria Wellness Professionals, walkstation, workout

by Rick Kaselj

The knee joint is a complex joint that is often injured. When we think of knee injuries, we often think of anterior cruciate ligament injuries that athletes commonly get. Since most of us are not athletes, a more common injury many of us will face is a meniscus injury. Meniscus injuries can be a result of a fall but often occur over time with wear and tear of the knee joint. Often times it occurs hand and hand with osteoarthritis of the knee.

The menisci are two thickened, wedge-shaped cartilage pads positioned between the shin bone and the thigh bone. Each knee joint consists of two menisci: the medial meniscus, which is positioned on its inner side, and the lateral meniscus, which is located on the knees outer side. The purpose of the meniscus is to disperse force and to be a shock absorber in the knee. If the meniscus are injured, it can lean to pain and swelling of the knee joint. It can make walking and bending the knee very painful.

If you do have a meniscus injury, there are three things you need to remember when exercising in order to prevent irritating or re-injuring the meniscus.

Squat to 90 Degrees

Squats are important as strengthening the muscles in the knee. Strong knee muscles help decrease the stress on the knee and meniscus. If you are doing a squat exercise, make sure not to do a deep squat. A deep squat is when you squat down to a point that is pass 90 degrees at your knee. Performing a deep squat increases the force places on the menisci. If you are in the gym, make sure to limit your squatting to 90 degrees at your knee.

Avoid Narrow Stance leg press

Another excellent exercise to strengthen the legs is the leg press. Just like like squats, it is important to do the leg press in order to keep the muscles strong around the knee. If you do have a new or old meniscus injury, make sure to avoid a narrow stance leg press. Have your feet closer together when doing the leg press leads to great stress on the meniscus.

Do Hip Width Apart Squats

If you are in a group fitness class or bootcamp, do not do squats with your feet wide apart. This wide stance puts great stress on the meniscus. Keep your legs a hip width apart. Having your feet a hip width apart will still lead to strengthening the muscles around your knees but decrease the stress and irriation on your meniscus.

Wrap Up Meniscus and Exercise Tips

We all have old injuries that we need to live with. The last thing we want to do is irriate them or reinjure them. If you have a meniscus injury and exercising regulary, remember to squat to 90 degrees, keep the feet a hip width apart if you are using the leg press and avoid wide stance squats. I hope these tip will keep your meniscus injury pain-free.

Rick Kaselj is a practicing Kinesiologist and specializes in helping clients use exercise to overcome their injuries. To learn more about Rick Kaselj you can check out his exercise and injury blog at http://www.ExercisesForInjuries.com

Uncategorized exercise, knee injuries, meniscus, Rick Kaselj, squats